The quote is almost as famous as the LP: “The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band.” Maybe Eno said it. Maybe not. Maybe he said 30,000 copies. Maybe it was another number. But the point is clear: The VU’s influence and impact vastly outweighed their commercial success.
Of course, that was then and this is now. Now, the legendary quartet of Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison and Mo Tucker are about to get their long-overdue moment in the spotlight, thanks to filmmaker Todd Haynes‘ upcoming Apple+ documentary The Velvet Underground. Check out the trailer for the film below. My Sonic Reducers cohost Eric Alper and I are both pretty excited about this, as you can tell from today’s episode. Sit in as we talk about the doc, recall the assorted VU rarities and reissues that have come down the pipe lately, and ponder whether this movie could have been made when Reed, Nico, Andy Warhol and other principals were still around. Sonic Reducers: One topic. Two music nerds. Five minutes. Everything you need to know.
